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Bruno Fernandes reveals he tricked two Man City players during Manchester United’s derby win Comment Bruno Fernandes has revealed what went on behind Manchester United’s clever set-piece against Man City.

(Visionhaus) Share this article via facebookShare this article via twitter 2.4k SHARES Metro Sport Reporter Wednesday 15 Apr 2020 10:34 pm Bruno Fernandes insists his clever assist for Anthony Martial’s goal against Manchester City was not planned but says he intentionally tricked two of Pep Guardiola’s players to get Manchester United in front. In their final Premier League match before the season was halted, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s sealed a 2-0 victory over City at Old Trafford. Martial opened the scoring in the first half before Scott McTominay sealed the win in injury time. Martial’s goal came from a quick bit of thinking from Fernandes and Fred during a free-kick, as the Brazilian appeared to signal for Martial to dart in behind Sergio Aguero before Fernandes played a chipped pass into the box. But Fernandes insists the move was not rehearsed and that he told Fred to step away from the ball in order to fool Aguero and Ilkay Gundogan, who was close by, into thinking that they would not be passing to Martial. ‘It was not a plan. Everyone knows against Everton we did the same. Against Watford, if I’m not mistaken, we did the same,’ Fernandes told United’s official website. ‘Against Watford, Anto [Martial] let the ball slide – it’s not my fault! Against Everton, it was my bad ball, [which] was not really good. I needed to put the ball more inside of the box, more in the direction of the goal. Fred and Fernandes stood over the ball while Martial was not looking at goal (Picture: Manchester United) Fred raisesd his arm which triggered Martial’s movement past Aguero (Picture: Manchester United) Fernandes dinked the ball perfectly into Martial’s path (Picture: Manchester United) ‘So it was one of those things: when you are in the pitch, you know your team-mates when you look at them. It’s like a pass. You look at him, and you feel something. You feel, [and] it goes. ‘So in the free-kick, I start talking with Fred, because normally we talk [about who’ll take]. There were eight in the area and the left foot [delivery] was better for us, for attacking the ball. I started talking, and I already saw Anthony look at me. He looks at me, I look at him, I feel he wants the same as me. So you go off feelings, you know? Maybe I will put the ball in sometimes and Anto doesn’t go. ‘In that moment, I talked with Fred, and I talked like: ‘Okay, Fred, you go.’ So if someone of Manchester City listens [they think] I’ve told Fred to go and they can relax. For example, in the wall was [Sergio] Aguero, on the other side [Ilkay] Gundogan I think. ‘Maybe when they saw Fred going back and me on the ball, they think: okay, Fred goes [to take the kick]. And they relax a bit. Bruno Fernandes and Anthony Martial celebrate after the successful free-kick routine (Getty Images) ‘I started to look at the edge [of the area] and [motioned] ‘Go second post, go second post. In the moment that the referee whistled, I feel Anto is just ready and think: ‘I go now.’ I had the right time; it was a perfect ball, it was a perfect finish. It was everything in the right time, you know? ‘But sometimes, we will miss! We will miss, but we need to try, because it was a difficult ball, but I try and we scored. And you need to try, you need to improve. ‘Maybe the next one I do like that the defender takes the ball and goes to counter, and it’s a difficult situation for us because our defenders are up in the area for the cross. So you need to take some risks in the game, because the game is risk. ‘I know if I put the right ball in, Anto can score. So I just think on this. I just think: I need to put the right ball in because I know Anto can score. And maybe Anto doesn’t score – for me it doesn’t matter, because I know in the next time Anto will score. Anto or Mason [Greenwood], or Dan [James], or [Odion] Ighalo, or Rash [Marcus Rashford] when he’s back. Everyone can score. You need to feel that positive energy, because I know also – if I try this ball – Anto knows this is a difficult ball. ‘I need to give my best.’ So he will shoot the best way he can. You just need to keep improving, and keep trying.’ Follow Metro Sport across our social channels, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Share this article via facebookShare this article via twitterShare this article via whatsapp Share this article via comment Share this article via facebook

Premier League clubs will discuss the option of putting a 30 June deadline on the 2019-20 season at a meeting on Friday.

Not all clubs have been involved in informal discussions at this stage but, with a hoped-for May resumption to the season unlikely, club owners are looking at how to avoid potentially difficult contractual situations. Numerous players' present deals expire on 30 June, notably Chelsea midfielder Willian and Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen. In addition, Liverpool are due to change shirt manufacturers from New Balance to Nike, while Watford and Newcastle are also changing kit suppliers. World governing body Fifa is aware of the problem and is looking at alternatives, like rolling contract extensions, with the season currently suspended indefinitely because of the coronavirus pandemic. However, legally, players cannot be forced to sign them, raising the possibility of clubs losing key parts of their squad before the campaign has been concluded. It has led to an increasing body of opinion that, no matter what the state of the Premier League at that point, 30 June should be the final day. Such a move would also bring more clarity to the 2020-21 season, which BBC Sport has been told by numerous sources is more important than the current one. Putting a deadline on this season is fraught with problems, particularly surrounding relegation and promotion. One idea being pushed forward again is to promote current Championship top two Leeds and West Brom, not relegate anyone from the top flight and go with a 22-team competition, which would increase the number of TV games and potentially avoid the need to repay this season's broadcast money. However, that would create a problem for the Football League as it would lead to an imbalance in their numbers. These are all issues that will be debated by Premier League executives on Friday, although a definitive decision seems unlikely given Uefa has pleaded for leagues to give them time to return with their own proposals for ending the season across Europe, something they expect to do by mid-May at the latest. Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder though does not expect a deadline to be set for the end of the campaign. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I'm sure that we will adjust accordingly. I think for the integrity of the competition and competitions, especially the top end of English football and European football, they'll want to finish the season. "I believe that there will be an ability next year to adjust, with international breaks, with moving a few games into midweek. We have that ability through organisation and planning to finish this season off. "But only as everybody said, and I'll reiterate that, when it's safe to do so for everybody. And that obviously we have to take our lead off the government and what they suggest and want us to do."

Steven Gerrard says SPFL vote 'a mess' and repeats Rangers call for investigation

Gerrard has urged SPFL chairman Murdoch MacLennan to show "leadership" and back an independent inquiry The SPFL's handling of the vote to curtail Scotland's lower leagues has been an "absolute mess" and needs investigating, says Steven Gerrard. The Championship and Leagues One and Two have ended after Dundee belatedly backed the league's resolution following a change of heart. Rangers had previously called for an inquiry and the suspension of SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster. "From afar the SPFL looks an absolute mess," Gerrard told Sky Sports. "All I ask is for the main leader of the SPFL to show some real leadership. "I think what he has to do now - because there are so many accusations, doubts and questions about this institution - is allow an independent investigation into the setup to prove everything wrong and make sure there is fairness and transparency." Dundee Utd, Raith & Cove win titles and reconstruction talks startHearts angry at SPFL vote outcomeFalkirk 'reluctantly accept' SPFL vote The passing of the resolution means Dundee United, Raith Rovers and Cove Rangers have now all been named champions of the Championship, League One and League Two respectively. Hearts, who sit bottom of the Scottish top flight by just four points from Hamilton Academical, are in danger of joining Thistle, bottom of the Championship by two points but with a game in hand and Stranraer, League One's bottom side by eight points, in dropping down a division if the Premiership season is also called with eight full rounds of fixtures to play. Celtic are 13 points ahead of Rangers, who have a game in hand, while Motherwell are third, 21 points further back. It also means the SPFL board has the power to "call" the Premiership season when it becomes clear it cannot continue, meaning Hearts would drop down a division. A working group has been set up to examine the possibility of league reconstruction, including an expanded top flight for next term. 'Battered from pillar to post' Rangers have already raised concerns about the vote process, claiming they had evidence which showed "bullying" and "coercion" of clubs into backing the proposal. Hearts also claimed the SPFL had exerted "undue influence" on the vote, but the league has said it has acted "wholly properly" at every stage of the process and added Rangers have yet to produce the evidence to back up their claims. "I'm listening to ex players, pundits, I'm reading media and it's [the SPFL] getting absolutely battered from pillar to post the way it's handled things in the past couple of days," Gerrard added. "The SPFL has said it's open to an internal investigation but I don't agree with that because you shouldn't really be allowed to mark your own homework. If you mark your own homework, you're always going to come top of the class. There's not going to be any questions asked. "I'm waiting for the leader [chairman] Murdoch MacLennan to say 'Okay, this is our organisation, I'm going to be the leader, show leadership and I'm going to allow an outside investigator to come in and go right across the whole situation and prove that everything's clean'. "And if everything's clean, fair and transparent then the media and ex players can't slam the organisation." Sharethis page Find out more BBC Sport Scottish Premiership Read more on BBC Sport Scottish Premiership Rangers official site Read more on Rangers official site Top Stories PGA Tour plans to resume in June 16 AprFrom the sectionGolf Read more on PGA Tour plans to resume in June IPL suspended 'until further notice' 16 AprFrom the sectionCricket Read more on IPL suspended 'until further notice' Clubs to discuss 30 June deadline 16 AprFrom the sectionFootball Read more on Clubs to discuss 30 June deadline From Around the Web Learning A Language In 2020? - This App Is Used By Millions Of Language…Babbel Learning a new language this year? – This app gets you speaking in just 3 weeksBabbel.com Promoted content by Outbrain Around Scottish sport Family, football & fame - how much do you know about Andy Murray? 'Shock of shutdown brings rugby's problems into sharp focus' Whatsapp leaks, missing votes & bullying claims - the SPFL's five days of chaos From transfer fees to street names - how much do you know about King Kenny? Download Sportscene & Hampden Zoom app background Paint tins & pair of tights - an ingenious garden gym from 72-year-old 'Tonyvator' Dental dread, cloud alignment & an empty disco - Lyle's memories of his Masters win.

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